Brazil draw sees 2010 final rematch

GROUP OF DEATH:Costa Rica were the only team in their group who had not won the World Cup after being drawn with Italy, England and Uruguay

AFP, COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil

FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke holds the lot of England during the World Cup draw in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil, on Friday.

Photo: EPA

Reigning champions Spain will begin their defense of the World Cup with a rematch of the 2010 final against the Netherlands, while England were paired with Italy in Friday’s draw.

Spain, who won their first title in South Africa three years ago, start their Group B campaign against the three-time runners-up in Salvador on June 13.

They will also meet Chile, who they beat in the group stage in 2010, in Rio de Janeiro and Australia in Curitiba.

“I said to people this morning we were going to get Holland and we did, in the first game no less,” Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque said. “Holland will demand that we start at our highest level.”

Hosts and five-time champions Brazil were drawn to face Croatia in the opening game, scheduled for Sao Paulo on June 12 — assuming the venue is ready after a fatal accident last week delayed prospective completion until April.

Brazil will then take on Mexico and Cameroon in a Group A that appears unthreatening, if not easy.

“We must pay close attention to the opening phase,” Brazil’s 2002 title-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. “We must play every game as if it were the final right from the outset.”

England, meanwhile, will start off with a Group D meeting against four-time champions Italy in the heat of Amazonian venue Manaus on June 14 — though it is at least an evening kick-off.

That match is a repeat of the Euro quarter-final last year, which Italy won on penalties.

“It’s a tough group, there’s no doubt about that,” said England coach Roy Hodgson, whose team also face Uruguay, a third former champion in their group, and Costa Rica. “In Italy and Uruguay it’s almost as though we have got two number one seeds in our group.”

Italian opposite number Cesare Prandelli said the group looked a tough call.

“It is the Group of Death, a very difficult group. We are worried about the distances we shall have to cover. The game against England will be very important,” Prandelli said.

After the Italians, Hodgson’s side then take on Uruguay in Sao Paulo on June 19 and Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on June 24.

A notable subplot will see Germany go up against the US, now coached by former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann in Recife on June 26 in their final pool match.

“That’s one of those crazy stories that football writes,” Klinsmann told German broadcaster ARD.

Germany, whose third and last title came in 1990, also drew Ghana and Portugal in Group G.

Klinsmann coached Germany to third at the 2006 World Cup with current German boss Joachim Loew his assistant at the time.

“So, we will be meeting old friends,” Loew said.

Argentina, champions in 1978 and 1986, meet sole newcomers Bosnia in Rio de Janeiro on June 15, and then will face Iran and Nigeria.

“I am pleased with the draw as we didn’t get into a group of death scenario and we also shan’t have to travel huge distances,” Argentina coach Alex Sabella said.

“It’s a good group for us,” Nigeria assistant coach Daniel Amokachi said. “Argentina are the world powers, but you cannot afford to underrate Iran or Bosnia. Overall, it’s a good draw.”

Former England boss Fabio Capello was happy after seeing his Russian side draw seeded Belgium, South Korea and Algeria in Group H.

“I’m pleased with the draw. Some of the other groups consist of much stronger teams,” Capello said, adding that “Belgium is currently one of the strongest European teams.”